Renaud-Bray: A Chain Of French Bookstores In Canada

Background

Different target customers are attracted to different types of retailers using various means. Pick one retailer. This may be a new/established, independent/chain, small/large store, or an online operator. So long as it’s retail there are no restrictions here.

Retailers make choices in terms of where their stores are located, the type of location they choose, the store’s design and merchandise. All these choices are intended to appeal to their target markets. Work to see how the choices they have made attract their target customer.

1.Name a retailer.

2.Determine the type of retailer this is.

3.Identify the target markets for the above named retailer and describe in detail.

4.Assess the viability of the chosen target market.

5.Present the retail mix for the target market.

6.Select a specific location for your retailer. Describe the trade area for the store. Present a minimum of three (3) aspects that you believe were critical in selecting this trade area.

7.Determine the basic type of location that this store is in. Present a minimum of three
(3) criteria that would be used to select this particular location type.

8.Describe the site for the store. Present a minimum of three (3) criteria used when choosing this site.

9.Determine what you believe are the design factors they have chosen. Discuss a minimum of three (3) factors.

10.What store layout do you believe they have chosen? Describe three (3) elements of the layout that you find appealing. Describe two (2) elements of the layout that you would change. Why would you change them and how would they look in your layout?

11.Answer the four basic questions of space planning.

12.Describe the merchandise presentation techniques that you believe they are following. Describe three (3) elements that you find appealing. Describe two (2) elements of the merchandise presentation techniques that you would change. Why would you change them and how would your merchandise presentation techniques look?

13.Describe the signage and graphics that you believe they are following. Describe three (3) elements that you find appealing. Describe two (2) elements of the signage and graphics that you would change. Why would you change them and how would your signage and graphics look?

14.Describe the atmospherics that you believe they are following. Describe three (3) elements that you find appealing. Describe two (2) elements of the atmospherics that you would change. Why would you change them and how would your atmospherics look?

15.Do they have an online presence?
a.If they have an online presence, describe the web site design that you believe they are following. Describe three (3) elements that you find appealing. Describe two (2) elements of the web site design that you would change. Why would you change them and how would your web site design look
b.If they do not have an online presence, describe the web site design that you believe they should follow. Describe three (3) elements that you feel should be in the web site design.

16.Discuss the success of the retailer in attracting their chosen target market. Provide an assessment of the ability of the retailer to attract the desired chosen market. Explain in detail.
 

1.Renaud-Bray is the name of the retailer on which the study is based.

2.Renaud-Bray is mainly the largest chain of bookstore written in French language in Canada chain was founded in the year 1965 by Pierre Renaud and Edmond Bray and opened their first bookstore in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is capable of selling books, digital books, items of gifts as well as several types of games (Geloso, Belzile & Chassin, 2013). 

3.This retailer is mainly used for serving almost the entire population of its geographical area. It focusses on the consumers whose desire is to purchase books, games, digital books and several gift items at discount prices (Ménard, 2014). It comprises of all the different types of shoppers which includes casual, hard to find and specific category shoppers.

4.There is a great ability for working successfully of the target market which is chosen. Its main customers are those who has a great desire in purchasing books, games, digital books and several gift items at a very low price (Montplaisir, 2017). These are either seen as near items of commodity or in the case of books specially cannot be considered to be an investment which is long termed. Due to this value which is very much low placed upon the merchandise by specially the customers which are potential. 

5.A retail mix can be defined as the plan of marketing which is put in place for addressing some of the key factors which include the location, personnel, price, goods and the services (Melis, 2015). It comprises of a staffs which are friendly and much knowledgeable responsible for providing the required instructions and assistance (Geloso, Belzile & Chassin, 2013). All the books, games, digital books and several gift items are even sold via online and a proper distribution channel is present for supplying these products to all the consumers. Pricing policy which is considered to be an essential aspect for a business to keep on flourishing is well adopted by this retailer and utilizes several strategies in planning for keeping its brand thriving (Xie et al., 2015). It also provides strategy of discount pricing which offers discounted prices for attracting all the loyal customers.

6.As Renaud-Bray is an established one, it is seen to have its headquarters situated at Montreal, Quebec, Canada (Content, 2015).

It is very much important in making a better selection of site by utilizing the characteristics of the trade areas which existed and used for predicting the areas of trade around the locations which are potential (Phelps & Wood, 2017). It is also essential in defining a geographical area for analyzing the potential of the market and all the competitive threats.

Retail Mix

Three aspects that is believe were critical in selecting this trade area:

• Mapping the customers in relation to the location of the store and calculation of the distance from the consumers to the location of the store (Pate, 2016).
• Determination of all the variables which are responsible for defining and producing impact on the areas of trade.
• Development of a model which will be able to predict the areas of trade around the sites which are new.

7.Renaud-Bray is seen to have its headquarters at Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Montreal is considered to the most populated municipality in the province of Canada and also the second most populous municipality in Canada.

Three criteria that would be used to select this particular location type: 

Population demographics: It is important to check whether majority of the traffic of human within the area falls under the targeted base of the customers or not (Prakash, Soni & Rathore, 2015). 

Competition: It is very much important for saving on the analysis of the location cost by looking and identifying where are the competitors actually (Timperio, 2017). 

Visibility: Visibility is also another factor or criteria which makes sure the retail front is quite visible from the major roads in the activity heart.

8.The site for this specific retailer is the second most populated municipality in Canada, Montreal. It is a very much populated area within the country within which Renaud-Bray is the largest chain of bookstore after Indigo. The city has a population of about 1,704,694 with a population of about 1,942,044 in the agglomeration which is urban comprising of all the other municipalities on the Montreal Island. The metropolitan area which is very much broad comprises of a huge population of about 4,098,927 having French as their official language.

Three criteria used when choosing this site:

Connectivity and ease of the flow of traffic: These two are considered to be the most important issues which a retailer has considered while selecting this site. The site is well connected through roads, trains and by other means of public transport.

Parking facility: It has a perfect space for accommodating the vehicles of the customers. Therefore customers do not hesitate to visit the store unlike situations where due to the absence of proper arrangement of parking there are a number of public clashes and other cases of road rage

Presence of the threats from the competitors: While selecting the site the compatibility of the book store with the other retail stores nearby in this area is checked. The type and the number of competitors are clearly analyzed.

9.Three design factors used for designing the bookstore:

• Using a variety of designed and unique shelves, tables and other units for creating display areas which are distinct and a separate display for the books which are oversized by attaching several strips made of wood which are narrow. This holds the books securely while the display is made facing out.
• The store is carpeted with heavy duty carpet which is sound deadening which is very much easy to maintain and a cash wrap is designed with a number of shelving which is utilized for storing special books on special offers hold for the customers.
• A minimum of two workstations of computer are present in the bookstore out of which one is at the register for cash responsible for an easy lookup of merchandise on hand and the other for assisting the customers finding hard in case of finding the books.

10.The bookstore is seen to have a free flowing layout allowing the customers to move freely through the bookstore. Three elements which have been found to be appealing and the two elements which are needed to be changed are mentioned below:

Location Selection Criteria

Three elements appealing:

Open space: The layout is seen to have been maintaining a certain amount of space which is open for making the bookstore look inviting. The aisles between the shelves are made wide for two customers to easily pass through comfortably.

Organization based on genre: All the books are organized by category which helps the customers to quickly find a specific book with ease for which they have come for. 

Registers location: The cash register and the area of checking out is kept nearer to the front door of the store which helps in clearly observing all the comings and the goings of the customers.

Two elements which are needed to be changed are:

Presence of the bargains and the books which are discounted: There is a need for all the books which are on discounts to be placed near the store front so that the customers do not miss them.

Minimization of the counters: Store counters mainly separate the owner of the store from the customers psychologically. There it can be suggested that the owners may ask the staff who are unoccupied for wandering the floor of the sales. This might help in giving the sense of a bustling store, thus putting them at ease.

11.Four basic questions of space planning:

Is the display window large?

It is observed that there is a huge window for displaying all categories of book making it eye catching for the customers.

Is there the presence of ample sidewalk?

There is an ample sidewalk space for proper browsing of the books and carts of the books which are discounted are rolled outside to entice the customers for coming into the retail store.

Is there dedicated space for multiple title copies?

There is an enough space for keeping inventory on hand and orders which are larger receives greater discounts and therefor space is dedicated for multiple copies of title (Ozcan & 2013). 

Is the bottom shelves slanting and upper shelves reachable?

The bottom shelves are slanting so that the readers do not have to bend downwards for seeing the titles and upper shelves are also reachable.

12.Three merchandise presentation techniques which are found appealing:

• Focal points are pre-planned.
• Vendor spinner racks do not take up space with the cheapest or rather least interesting merchandise (Bonera & Corvi, 2014).
• Merchandise is displayed with price points in mind.

Two merchandise presentation techniques which are to be changed:

• The bookstore front and other sales areas are seen to be maximized for impulse sales (Wu, 2014).
• Posters depicting community and messages lack the organization as well as the display which is presented centrally and crowd display windows.

13.Three appealing signage and graphics in the book store:

• Bright and attractive colors on the wall of the bookstore
• Eye catching banners depicting several beautiful quotes and pictures of different authors
• Eye catching front of the book store

Two signage and graphics in the book store which can be changed:

• Burned out bulbs
• Faded color of some of the bookshelves

The bookshelves which have lost their color are needed to be colored again for making attractive and some of the bulbs which are burned out are required to be replaced. 

Store Design

14.Three appealing atmospheric elements in the bookstore:

• Quite and calm suitable for all the customers (Saita & Franceschelli, 2017).
• Pleasant, alluring and spacious allowing the customers to easily walk through the store.
• Moody and purchasing in-store atmosphere with a beautiful aroma.

Two atmospheric elements which are needed to be changed:

• The burned out bulbs may create a little darkness which may be a problem for the readers. Bulbs are needed to be replaced as soon as one of them gets burned out (Garcia-Peréz et al., 2015).
• The furniture which have become old are needed to be replaced soon.

15.Yes, they have an online presence. Their official website is renaud-bray.com.

Three elements which are appealing in the website used:

• Mobile compatibility, thus showing that it is a mobile optimized website (Toufaily, Souiden & Ladhari, 2013).
• The information architecture of the website is well planned.
• Content is well formatted and is easy to scan (Nancarrow et al., 2013).

Two elements which can be changed:

• More and more contrasting colors can be used for making the website to look more attractive.
• Sometimes it takes longer time to load while opening the website. It is required to load within four seconds for a promoting good usability. Pingdom tool can be used for testing the speed of the website and get suggestions for improving the speed of the website (Sayyad, Partridge & Bruce, 2013).

16.Success of the retailer in attracting their chosen target market:

The bookstore is capable of attracting all the different categories of shoppers including the casual shoppers, hard to find shoppers and the special category shoppers. Casual shoppers are specially those customers who go to several stores of books having no set of idea about what they are actually willing to purchase. They can spend enough amount of time in browsing and finding out their required one (Bercuson, 2015).  Hard to find shoppers are those who have need which are very specific and lastly specific category shoppers are those who buys books or other collectives based on one particular category like that of romance or fiction. Its design, layout and atmosphere are quite appealing and eye catching. If the changes which are to be made are done quickly, then it will be able to attract even more customers, thus creating a competitive advantage within the market. 

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